2304UT 13 32.74’S 143 05.78’W
Sailing/Motoring/sweating
Our third day underway has been reminiscent of a good day sailing in my home waters of San Francesco Bay - a day of variety with a little of everything thrown in. On a good day on the bay, it is usual to experience the doldrums, fierce gusts, a mix of clouds and bright sunshine. Not to mention variable and commanding tidal currents!
The day started for me on the midnight to 3 a.m. watch with the Milky Way, southern stars, and a bright waning gibbous moon to light our passage. The wind was steady and Falken cut through the swell with grace. Heading down below at the end of the watch, I reflected on how fortunate I was to be here with a great crew and boat, steering by the Southern Cross on such a beautiful night.
I was woken at about 4:30 a.m. to the sound of a reef being set and noticed the cooler, damper air and increased bustle of Falken pushing harder through more chaotic water. A squall was coming by. Wedging myself into my bunk a bit more, I settled back to sleep in the knowledge that we were all in good hands.
Waking shortly after dawn, I heard the iron sail pushing us forward in still air with the main up and the yankee furled. Another squall rolled through soon after and brought back the Trades behind it, prompting another sail plan change to get us back to sailing. By this time, I decided I was missing the fun and fell out of my bunk to head into the cockpit.
The morning brought more squalls and highly variable winds, as a settled low to the south, and squalls from the northeast battened down the usually reliable Trade winds. The morning was passed working to keep the boat progressing to course while enjoying the occasional heaven-sent shower, interspersed with warm weather to dry us out. The weather finally settled back into what we had expected with steady Trades and hot and sunny skies. Everyone missed the fresh cooling rain so much that the shower room was opened for the afternoon, and the crew celebrated the trip so far with a container of ice-cold water and plenty of snacking opportunities.
Looking ahead, more variety is in store for us according to the forecast and also the timing of our arrival at the Tuomotos. However, we are all reveling in the place and the moment, assured that Falken and the staff crew will make this an adventure to remember, and that we — the crew — have been well instructed and have built the capability and confidence to make the most of this variety and adventure!
Steve
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Final Blog
Falken and her crew arrived safely into port last night around 8pm boat time, 10pm Prince Rupert time. Some spicy weather was anticipated, but luckily the 35kt gusts and 2.5 meter waves were no match for this expert crew. We had an exceptionally smooth docking, despite it being Alex's first time parking this year (!). We all agreed that this was a very special group of people—I for one am so impressed with how everyone stayed so positive, helpful, and appreciative of humor despite an arguably challenging passage. We'll all return home significantly saltier than we were when we left, a mark of a passage properly sailed.
Lessons and a Gift
The biggest lesson is the helm. The lesson here is that even if you don't think you can do it over and over again with no sleep, cold and damp, it has to be done and so it can be done. Flying fish are cool, dolphins are really really cool, but the coolest of them all are the whales. And most of all Alex: "Find your center Carla. Always know where your center is so you can come back to it". He means the helm but it applies to life as well.
Making the most of it
This passage has thrown pretty much every atmospheric condition imaginable at us. It reminds us not only of how much we’ve learned, but of how far we’ve literally come since that acceleration zone off the northwest corner of Oahu. The resilience this group has shown has been nothing short of incredible, and I couldn’t be prouder to be part of it. Maybe that’s why it’s the hardest passages we remember the most. Not because they were easy, but because they reminded us what we’re capable of.
